Bill passes for hunting in NSW national parks

Amateur hunters will now be allowed to shoot in dozens of New South Wales national parks and reserves, after legislation passed State Parliament last night.

The amended legislation, which was put forward by the Shooters and Fishers party in the Upper House, passed the Lower House last night.

The State Government agreed to the measure in return for the support of the Shooters to sell electricity assets.

The legislation allows hunting in 79 national parks, nature reserves and conservation areas.

Shooters MP Robert Brown says using volunteers to cull feral animals in state forests has been effective, and it will also work in national parks.

"This is an extremely safe way of doing it. In fact, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of animals have been taken in state forests now since 2002," Mr Brown said.

"The use of volunteers is something we use in the SES and Rural Fire Service and when we want to run an Olympic Games we use volunteers.

"The same system's been proven from a feral animal point of view and there's no reason why it shouldn't be run out in national parks."

Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson has also sought to provide reassurance that hunting will only be allowed with appropriate controls in place.

"Importantly this will include appropriate safety measures and only persons who are appropriately qualified and licensed will be permitted to help remove feral animals from our national parks," Ms Hodgkinson said.